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The volume reduction of the gray matter structures in patients with Alzheimer's disease is often accompanied by an asymmetric increase in the number of white matter fibers located close to these structures. The present study aims to investigate the white matter structure changes in the motor basal ganglia in Alzheimer's disease patients compared to healthy controls using diffusion tensor imaging. The amounts of tracts, tract length, tract volume, quantitative anisotropy, and general fractional anisotropy were measured in ten patients with Alzheimer's disease and ten healthy controls. A significant decrease in the number of tracts and general fractional anisotropy was found in patients with Alzheimer's disease compared to controls in the right caudate nucleus, while an increase was found in the left and the right putamen. Further, a significant decrease in the structural volume of the left and the right putamen was observed. An increase in the white matter diffusion tensor imaging parameters in patients with Alzheimer's disease was observed only in the putamen bilaterally. The right caudate showed a decrease in both the diffusion tensor imaging parameters and the volume in Alzheimer's disease patients. The right pallidum showed an increase in the diffusion tensor imaging parameters but a decrease in volume in Alzheimer's disease patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-CT imaging is a well-established morphological method for the visualization of animal models. We used ethanol fixation of the mouse brains to perform high-resolution micro-CT scans showing in great details brain grey and white matters. It was possible to identify more than 50 neuroanatomical structures on the 5 selected coronal sections. Among white matter structures, we identified fornix, medial lemniscus, crossed tectospinal pathway, mammillothalamic tract, and the sensory root of the trigeminal ganglion. Among grey matter structures, we identified basal nuclei, habenular complex, thalamic nuclei, amygdala, subparts of hippocampal formation, superior colliculi, Edinger–Westphal nucleus, and others. We suggest that micro-CT of the mouse brain could be used for neurohistological lesions evaluation as an alternative to classical neurohistology because it does not destroy brain tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The study concerns the comparison of percentile curves of Czech breastfed children with Czech national references from 1991 and 2001 and WHO growth standards. Growth charts of breastfed children demonstrate different curve shapes, especially in the first months of life. Incorrect interpretation of the growth curve could lead to premature introduction of complementary foods or infant formula. Aim:The comparison of four body parameters of Czech breastfed children with currently used Czech national references and WHO standards in order to recommend that Czech paediatricians use either Czech references or WHO standards in their practice. Subjects and methods:Nine hundred and sixty breastfed children were included in the study of length-for-age, head circumference-for-age, weight-for-age and weight-for-length parameters. All percentile curves were compared. Values of the 50th percentile expressed inz-scores based on both Czech references and WHO standards were tested. Results:The study confirmed results of previous surveys documenting that growth of breastfed children is specific. Nevertheless, percentile curves of growth parameters of Czech breastfed children are closer to Czech references than WHO standards. Conclusions:The Czech national references fulfil the needs of Czech paediatricians (with pointing to specifics of breastfed child growth) and WHO standards are suitable, especially for international comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CLARITY is a method of rendering postmortem brain tissue transparent using acrylamide-based hydrogels so that this tissue could be further used for immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, or gross anatomical studies. Published papers using the CLARITY method have included studies on human brains suffering from Alzheimer's disease using mouse spinal cords as animal models for multiple sclerosis. Methods: We modified the original design of the Chung CLARITY system by altering the electrophoretic flow-through cell, the shape of the platinum electrophoresis electrodes and their positions, as well as the cooling and recirculation system, so that it provided a greater effect and can be used in any laboratory. Results: The adapted CLARITY system is assembled from basic laboratory components, in contrast to the original design. The modified CLARITY system was tested both on rat brain stained with a rabbit polyclonal anti-Iba-1 for microglial cells and on human nucleus accumbens stained with parvalbumin and tyrosine hydroxylase for visualization of specific neurons by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Conclusions: Our design has the advantage of simplicity, functional robustness, and minimal requirement for specialized additional items for the construction of the CLARITY apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among other serious scientific efforts of revivalists, somewhat distinctive personalities also appeared at the time of the National Revival. Among them was the secondary school teacher, physicist and inventor Jakub Hron Metánovský, whose 100th anniversary of death passed last year. Although he did not complete his studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Prague, which he began at the age of 51, a medical trace can be found in his works, not only in his inventions, but also in professional Czech medical and anatomical terms. Although he has never become a doctor of medicine, it is certainly worth remembering this peculiar figure in our history.

Background: Changes of white matter integrity in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were documented following mainly motor/skill acquisitions physical therapy, while following neuroproprioceptive "facilitation, inhibition" (neurofacilitation) only by two pilot studies. Neurofacilitation has potential to induce white matter changes due to the possibility of interfering with the neuronal tactility threshold. However stronger evidence is missing., Aim: This study investigates whether neurofacilitation (three physical therapy types) induce white matter changes and if they relate to clinical improvement., Design: The Three-Arm Parallel-group Exploratory Trial (NCT04355663)., Setting: Each group underwent different kinds of two months ambulatory therapy (Motor Program Activating Therapy, Vojta's reflex locomotion and Functional Electric Stimulation in Posturally Corrected Position)., Population: MS people with moderate disability., Methods: At baseline and after the program, participants underwent magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and clinical assessment. Fractional anisotropy maps obtained from DTI were further analyzed using tract-based spatial statistic exploring the mean values in the whole statistic skeleton. Moreover, additional exploratory analysis in 48 regions of white matter was done., Results: Ninety-two people were recruited. DTI data from 61 people were analyzed. The neurofacilitation (irrespective type of therapy) resulted in significant improvement on the Berg Balance Scale (P=0.0089), mainly driven by the Motor Program Activating Therapy. No statistically significant change in the whole statistic skeleton was observed (only a trend for decrement of fractional anisotropy after Vojta's reflex locomotion). Additional exploratory analysis confirmed significant decrement of fractional anisotropy in the right anterior corona radiata., Conclusions: Neurofacilitation improved balance without much evidence of white matter integrity changes in people with MS., Clinical Rehabilitation Impact: The study results point to the importance of neuroproprioceptive "facilitation and inhibition" physical therapy in the management of balance in people with multiple sclerosis; and the potential to induce white matter changes due to the possibility of interfering with the neuronal tactility threshold.

Variant anatomy, which is an integral part of anatomical science, is related to abnormalities in the human body structure. Our understanding of variant anatomy is based on thousand years of anatomical experience. These abnormalities generally do not interfere with the function of the human body and do not typically manifest as pathological nosological units. However, under certain conditions, these abnormalities can worsen existing pathological states or even evoke new ones. Understanding variant anatomy is a basic skill not only of mere anatomists, but also of clinicians who work in fields involving both diagnostic techniques and therapeutic interventions. To gain and retain a good knowledge of the most frequent and clinically relevant anatomical variations, a simple, clear, and exactly defined nomenclature of variant structures is needed. A list of items comprising variant anatomy, which have been incorporated into the internationally accepted nomenclatures Terminologia Anatomica (1998) and Terminologia Neuroanatomica (2017), is described and analyzed. Examples of the most common anatomical variations related to terminology are mentioned, and variant anatomy as a whole and its role in understanding current anatomy are discussed.